


live fast, die young (bad boys do it wild)

by violetyoongix



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Car Racing, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Bestfriends! Mingi and Yeosang, Cars, Drifting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, Engineer!Yunho, Engineering, Eventual Romance, Ex-Racer!Hongjoong, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Mechanics, Mentions of Drugs!, Office Jobs, Racer! Jongho, Racer!San, Racer!Seonghwa, Racer!Wooyoung, Rivalry, Street Racing, a lotta racing, also Chaebol! Seonghwa, also wtf there needs to be more jonghwa, basically jongho and seonghwa are rival racers, but there's a twist, i really love this ship for some reason, jongho is very determined and very stubborn, pre-established hongjoong/yunho, san is a speed demon, secret double lives, seonghwa is cocky af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24228271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetyoongix/pseuds/violetyoongix
Summary: “One day I’ll beat you,” Jongho promised lowly, dark eyes blazing as he stared at the blonde man fiercely, “I’ll make you regret what you said, and wipe that stupid, cocky-ass smirk off your face.”The amused grin he hated so much never left his handsome features, “We’ll see about that.”xxxJongho hated that rich, cocky bastard Seonghwa. A lot. For many reasons. But he thought he’d only have to deal with him on the street racing scene, he’d never imagined his biggest rival would end up becoming his boss. Two worlds collide in the worst way possible.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Park Seonghwa, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Kim Hongjoong
Comments: 23
Kudos: 69





	1. ENTER: JONGHO AND SEONGHWA

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to try a racers au, and I've always wanted to write a jonghwa fic (they need more love 😔). Since I have a lot more time on my hands, I decided why not! And that's how this was born lol.

* * *

_Prologue:_

_~ 2 years ago ~_

It always smelled like an odd blend of rubber and gasoline.

It wasn’t strong at first, but slowly it would set in until it encompassed the air around you; burning your nostrils and clogging your lungs until it was almost suffocating. Even though Jongho should be desensitized to the smell (due to him spending a good amount of time working around gasoline and rubber fumes every day at a mechanic shop) he was always slightly taken aback by the pungent odor at first, his nose scrunching up involuntarily. There was also the stench of weed and alcohol, but those were only secondary to the main scent. 

But that wasn’t a surprise, since this was the _underground_ after all; a hidden world full of fast cash and morally reprehensible activities that thrived in the buzzing, fervent nightlife of Seoul. Now, don’t get him wrong, Jongho wasn’t involved in anything _too_ morally dubious. It just so happened that he had an interest in mechanics (especially anything that involved tinkering with cars) and subsequently, he was introduced to the world of street racing. It wasn’t like he _actively_ sought out to participate in illegal street-racing, it so just happened to fit his specialized set of talents. An area of expertise of you will; Jongho was really good at boosting cars.

“I think I should boost my nitro-engine,” A skinny ravenette muttered offhandedly from beside him. He wore a battered band tee and faded baggy jeans, patting the hood of his bright orange Subaru Impreza WRX thoughtfully. He turned to give the brunette a questioning look, “What do you think, Jongho?”

“I think you’re actually going to kill yourself,” A slightly taller blonde boy retorted with a snort, “You’re already six to one with compression and can easily go over 215 mph, why the hell would you want to go faster?”

The ravenette shot an annoyed look at the blonde before rolling his eyes, “Well, it’s a good thing I wasn’t asking what _you_ think. I was asking the actual mechanic.”

Jongho just shook his head with an amused sigh, already used to the antics of his best friends; Wooyoung and San. He’s known them ever since he was fourteen years old, introduced to them around the same time he was introduced to the underground. He gave San’s Subaru a critical once-over, internally grimacing at the bright color. It suited San though; he liked to be fast and flashy. He was known as a bit of a speed demon in the street racing world. 

“How fast does it go?”

San glanced down at his car again, “On raw power alone? About 190.”

“And with the nitro?”

There was a wild, wicked look in the ravenette’s dark eyes as he grinned at him, “280.”

“Jesus Christ.” Wooyoung mumbled from the other side of Jongho, sucking on a lollipop as he shook his head condescendingly, “See what I mean? He’s actually going to kill himself.”

After scrutinizing his car for a long moment, Jongho just shrugged, “You could do it, with the right mods.”

San’s sharp grin widened while Wooyoung scoffed loudly. Luckily for the brunette, before they could begin their bickering, a tall man with a fringed cap and withered face walked up to them. He took an inhale from his cigar, blowing the smoke out through his nose before nodding at the three youngsters as he flipped a page on a clipboard he carried with him.

“Names?” He asked in a surly tone.

“C’mon Yeonghoon, we’ve been showin’ up here for years. Is this really necessary?” Wooyoung complained, slumped against his own burgundy Mustang GT. 

“Yes, because it’s my job.” Yeonghoon deadpanned. He looked between the three expectantly.

“Retro Fury; Pontiac Firebird.” Jongho answered smoothly.

“Flash,” San said proudly, “Subaru Impreza.”

Wooyoung smirked, “You know me, the one and only _Boy Wonder_. And this here,” He patted the hood of his car, “Is my prized possession, my life’s work, my heart and soul; my Mustang GT.”

Yeonghoon rolled his eyes at the blonde’s antics but checked their stage names and registered cars off his list, “The race starts in ten minutes, you can pull up to the start line. Any bets? The pool’s still open for another five minutes.”

“Put fifty on Boy Wonder!” Wooyoung chirps out as he swings open his door and slides into his vehicle. The car comes alive with a smooth reverberating roar, the headlights illuminating the asphalt in an iridescent glow. San followed quickly, his engine coming to life with a more high-pitched roar, and a lot of revving. It grabbed the attention of other people hanging around the lot; whether they were racers or simply car enthusiasts, they all turned to watch the two show off their powerful engines with grandiosity. 

“How’s the happy couple doing?” Yeonghoon asked casually, shaking his head while he watched San and Wooyoung. 

Jongho swung open the heavy door of his cherry-red 1998 Pontiac Firebird. “Fine, still disgustingly in love with each other. Still nag me every chance they get.” 

He tried to sound annoyed, but he couldn’t help the small smile that came to his lips when Yeonghoon snorted a small laugh. He plugged his keys into the ignition, drawing out the familiar low rumble of the powerful engine, sending vibrations through his body and excitement through his veins. Jongho wasn’t a speed demon like San or much of a thrill-seeker like Wooyoung, but there was something about racing on open roads with nothing but the roaring of engines in your ears and your heart pounding in your chest that filled him with a delightful sensation. It was a high that no substance could ever replicate, it slowed down his perception of time and tunneled his vision until nothing mattered but his precious Firebird and the open road. 

Yeonghoon let out a low whistle, nodding his head at the vintage automobile in appreciation, “Engine sounds good. Did you give it a new paint job?”

“Yeah,” The shorter answered with a smirk of his own as he switched the shift, “That among other things.”

He joined his friends and the rest of the competitors at the start line. The racing track was a large dirt road (probably abandoned or unfinished) on the outskirts of the city. He shook his head with amusement as Wooyoung started talking to a fellow racer who happened to be a high school friend, they practically shouted at each other due to the sounds of other engines and the tumultuous crowd of onlookers. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out to read the text message on his notification screen;

**Old man:**

**Good luck on your race. Drive safely, idiot.**

Jongho chuckled at the message, responding with a couple of heart emojis before slipping it back into his pocket. Because he was distracted by the text message, he didn’t even realize the automobile pulling up beside him with a quiet purr. The car was as dark as night, practically blending in with the shadows cast by the lamppost above. It made the blue fluorescent headlights and decals on the car stand out more; a stark juxtaposition between light and dark. Jongho couldn’t tell much about the make or model, but he could tell it was a fancy one. From the sleek, chromatic design of the interior lighting on the dashboard and how close to the ground it was, to the smooth whir of the engine. The brunette raised an eyebrow in curiosity, he’s been in this industry long enough to know who was who, and he’d never seen this guy before. 

A loud, sharp honk from Wooyoung snapped him out of his inner musing, and the brunette’s gaze swiveled towards him.

The blonde smirked obnoxiously, “You ready to lose?”

Jongho’s lips tilted up in amusement, “Shouldn’t I be asking _you_ that question?”

“Don’t be too surprised when I steal that number one spot, I’ve been practicing real hard for this one!” Wooyoung called back. 

Jongho just snorted and turned his attention back to the front, hands gripping the wheel with renewed determination. A tall, skinny girl with a red leather jacket and black skirt - the brunette recognized her to be Sooyoung- came sauntering up to the start line, holding up the checkered-print flag. The noise of roaring engines and an excited crowd rose to an almost unbearable amount, but it was all drowned out by the familiar buzz of excitement surging through Jongho’s body. He completely forgot about Wooyoung’s teasing shouts through the window, or the mysterious car that rolled up beside him. All of his thoughts were focused on just _going,_ and he waited with bated breath. Sooyoung dropped the flag with dramatic flair, and that was all the green light Jongho needed.

He sped off.

His body lurched into the warm, worn leather as he took off, the sound of the beating of his heart and the horsepower from his engine competing for dominance in his ears. He easily sped past the colorful cars around him, maneuvering his vintage vehicle with practiced ease. He couldn’t help but smirked at the indignant expression on Wooyoung’s face as he passed up the Mustang, his protests drowned out by the generated wind whipping his face. The dirt road was long and winding, and pretty soon he was able to catch up to San. True to his nature, San was gunning down on the gas pedal with no thought of slowing down, excitedly whooping as blue flames blasted out of his exhaust pipe. He was already using the nitro.

Calculations ran through the brunette’s mind as he tried to find a way to pass him up, with the way the road was going now, he wouldn’t be able to pass him. He needed a bolster, and luckily for him, they were approaching a curve that was marked by a dim arrow on a sign. Grinning to himself, he pressed the nitromethane booster, feeling himself smack into his seat again as the Firebird shot forward with a roar of a lion. He made the tight turn, giggling to himself when he heard San curse from behind him. Now, he was in the lead and the banner from the finish line was in his sights. Jongho relaxed his foot on the gas pedal slightly, the excitement of a victory bubbling up in his chest.

It happened in a flash.

It felt like a blur of a shadow with bright lights that suddenly appeared on Jongho’s left as the car’s engine whirred. There was a short screech of tires and a billow of dust that kicked up as the dark car _drifted_ right around him. Jongho slammed his foot on the brake, narrowly avoiding colliding with the rear end of the car as it straightened back to a vertical position, and sped off to the finish line. It happened so fast that Jongho couldn’t comprehend what happened until he had passed the finish line himself, and swerved expertly to park his Pontiac on the side of the dirt road, a couple of feet past the finish line.

The brunette’s thoughts came to a halting stop, all the adrenaline from racing quickly melting out of his body, and in its place was confusion because _what the hell_? Jongho had no idea where he came from, it was like he was conjured, appearing out of thin air with the way the sleek, black vehicle lurched in front of him. He still couldn’t wrap his head around how it all went down.

“Holy _shit,_ did you see that?!” Wooyoung exclaimed as he jumped out of his car, haphazardly parked near the edge of the dirt road, tire tracks imprinted in the road with the way he messily swerved to stop. 

“He came out of nowhere!” San exclaimed too, hopping out of his car as well.

Now that Jongho was a lot closer- and not preoccupied by the race- he could see the obsidian automobile for what it actually was. An all-black Bugatti Chiron, engine rumbling deeply in all its powerful glory. If it was physically possible, Jongho’s jaw would’ve dropped to the ground. In all the cars he’s seen in his life, he had never seen anything as _beautiful_ as this. While tricked-out, fancy cars were a norm in the racing scene, he had never actually seen a freaking _Bugatti_ used as a racecar before. That car costs more than anything he would ever make in his entire life!

“You’ve gotta be joking,” San mumbled from beside him, the same awe-struck expression on his face as he watched an eager crowd gathered around the Bugatti. “He managed to pull off a trick like that in a _Bugatti_?”

“I can’t believe he beat you, Jongho!” Wooyoung said, his eyes wide like a child in a candy store, “Who is this guy? I’ve _got_ to meet him!”

Jongho frowned at the reminder of his loss, but he managed to swallow down the bitterness of his stung pride as the three of them walked over to the large crowd who was just as eager to learn the identity of this mysterious driver. The door to the driver’s side opened, and everyone waited with bated breath. It was something about how the guy stepped out of the car; slowly, intentionally as if he was soaking up all the dramatic tension he could. The guy was tall, slim build, sporting an oversized long, black jean jacket, with an equally black shirt underneath. His jeans, which were a little flared, were tucked into a pair of Doc Martens. His waist was cinched with a heavily-studded silver belt, with matching silver earrings that dangled from both ears, and chains that were carefully layered around his neck. His hair was dyed a pale blonde with honey highlights, and a pair of dark shades sat on his slender nose. The crowd erupted into excited whispers, and there was a slow smirk developing on full pink lips as he watched the crowd around them. He liked the attention, Jongho could tell, and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands. Especially, when he slowly brought a hand up to his shades, lifting them off his face to reveal piercing dark eyes.

The crowd went wild.

“On top of having a kick-ass car, he’s _hot?_ ” Wooyoung gaped, “Life is so unfair!”

Jongho watched the way the crowd ate him up, the way he kept that superior, haughty smirk on his face as he talked to his newly-formed fans and took pictures. There was something about that guy that radiated an overwhelming aura of pride and vanity.

The brunette scoffed as he looked away from him, “He’s not all that. Why was he even wearing shades at _night_?”

The blonde waved Jongho off with a dismissive hand, “Oh shut up, you’re just salty because he beat you.”

“I am _not_ salty.”

“Oh yeah?” Wooyoung raised his eyebrows at him in challenge, “If you aren’t bitter about it, then why don’t you go over there and congratulate him, hmm?”

The brunette rolled his eyes, “He has enough people doing that for him already.”

_“Salty~”_

“Shut up,” Jongho snapped, but his legs kicked into action and he found himself making his way over to the mysterious handsome man and his Bugatti anyway.

The crowd had died down a little, but there were still entirely _too_ many people here, and the brunette had to weave his way through the crowd. When he was close enough, he looked up to see that the blonde stranger was staring right back at him- eyes fierce and unflinching. Jongho was momentarily taken aback by his stare, but he wasn’t one to be easily intimidated, so he stared right back at him, never breaking eye contact as he got closer. The smirk on the blonde man’s face widened at his approach, and that left a warm feeling simmering in his stomach.

Jongho assumed it was annoyance.

Once he was face to face with the stranger, he realized begrudgingly that Wooyoung was _right_ about him being extremely attractive. But Jongho kept his expression cool and neutral as he folded his arms across his chest, still boldly eyeing the blonde man, even if he was a couple inches taller than him. 

“Congrats on your win, that was an interesting move you pulled,” Jongho nodded towards the car, “Nice ride too. Did you put any mods on it?”

The stranger snorted lightly, casually leaning against his car with the confidence of a king. “I don’t need mods to win, I’m just that good.”

The crowd around them _oohed._

Jongho’s eyebrow twitched, but other than that, he didn’t show any physical signs of his growing annoyance. _I was right, he is cocky as hell,_ he thought to himself _._ It just made his defeat even harder to swallow. 

“You’re pretty arrogant for a rookie,” The brunette crossed his arms, “Don’t you think you need to have a little more wins under your belt before you act like that?”

More interested murmuring from the crowd. 

The blonde cocked his head with a sardonic smile, “How are you so sure I’m a rookie?”

“Because I’ve never seen you before. And I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure word would get around pretty quick if someone was racing a _Bugatti_ in the underground _.”_

The blonde man looked curious, “You sound like you’ve been on this scene for a while.”

“I have,” Jongho said proudly, puffing out his chest, “Ever since I was fourteen.”

The taller looked unimpressed, “Must not be very good though, if a _rookie_ like me can come in and beat you so easily.”

The crowd’s response was louder and more obnoxious than the first time. Their gazes shifting back and forth like they were at a tennis match, watching with eager anticipation. Jongho felt his blood run hot with irritation, his hands tightening to fists.

“I mean, I guess it shouldn’t come as such a surprise,” He had the audacity to continue, shooting an arbitrary look at Jongho’s car parked carefully across the dirt road, “when you’re driving a shitty car like that. Instead of racing it, you should drive it to the nearest dumpster.”

The crowd gasped in collective shock at the boldness of the blonde’s statement. Anyone who was anyone knew the significance of Jongho’s Pontiac Firebird. It was passed down to him, from a legendary street-racer who meant a lot to him. That car had a lot of meaning to him, and he was _very_ protective of it. So it was understandable, upon hearing his precious Firebird that he’d spent countless hours in the mechanic shop working on insulted like that; he’d see red. That devious comment was the last straw that sparked a fire in Jongho’s heart. Without a second thought his muscles in his arm tightened as he wound his arm back to throw a punch at this asshole’s pretty little face. 

_“Woah,_ hey let’s not take it there!” San was quick to intervene, grabbing the shorter’s arm and pulling it back while Wooyoung rushed to stand in between the two. 

“You _bastard,_ say something like that again!” Jongho growled.

The blonde man remained irritatingly composed as he arched an eyebrow, “Oh, did I hit a nerve?”

_“You-”_

“Jongho, calm down!” Wooyoung hissed, firmly grabbing his biceps to keep him from going at him again, “You know the rules dude, you can’t do this here!”

Wooyoung’s voice cut through the angry haze in his mind, and after a couple of moments, the brunette stopped struggling in his friend’s hold. He stood rigidly still, taking a few deep breaths to compose his heart, which was still beating fast. Once he felt like he could look at the man without wanting to punch him in his stupid face, the brunette looked up at him. The crowd was so silent, you could hear a pin drop.

“One day I’ll beat you,” Jongho promised lowly, dark eyes blazing as he stared at the blonde man fiercely, “I’ll make you regret what you said, and wipe that stupid, cocky-ass smirk off your face.”

The amused grin he hated so much never left his handsome features, “We’ll see about that.”

Jongho glared at him for a moment, before scoffing to himself as he turned around. He briskly walked through the crowd, which wasn’t hard since they parted for him like the Red Sea. San and Wooyoung quietly followed behind, and the three teenagers made their way back to their cars. Jongho reached for his door handle, but was stopped by a gentle hand on his, his gaze snapped to Wooyoung who stood there with concern in his eyes. 

“Don’t take his words to heart, Jongho,” The blonde said quietly, “He’s just trying to make you mad.”

“I know,” The brunette said with a roll of his eyes, casually slipping out of Wooyoung’s hands. 

“If you know, then why do you still look like you might get in the car and run him over?” San piqued up. 

Jongho swung the door open, a breathless chuckle escaping him from the bluntness of the ravenette’s question. “I’m still pissed,” He admitted as he slid into the familiar worn leather, starting up the engine, “But I’m gonna use my anger as fuel to get better. I’m gonna beat him one day, then he can’t say shit.”

Wooyoung clapped him on the shoulder excitedly, “That’s what I’m talking about! Wow, look at you, got your first very own rival!”

The brunette rolled his eyes again, this time in amusement as he revved the engine of his Firebird. Wooyoung let out a whistle of appreciation as San opened the door of his own car.

“Race y’all to the bridge. Loser has to buy food!” The ravenette called out eagerly.

Wooyoung let out a protest as he hurried to get into his vehicle, and Jongho laughed as he watched him. 

He smirked at them, “You’re on.”


	2. TOOLS, TENSION, AND INTERVIEWS?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys so MUCH for all of the supportive comments! I'm really glad that you guys like it so far!

* * *

_~ present ~_

If there was one thing Jongho was known for, it was the fact that he never went back on his word. After that fateful day where he ran into his biggest (and most annoying) rival, Jongho practiced like crazy to strengthen his racing skills. It wasn’t that he was a _bad_ racer, he’d won every competition up until that blonde asshole magically appeared on the scene, it was more so the fact that the Shadow (the name he was dubbed because of his car) was just a freakishly good racer. As much as the brunette loathed to admit it, the Shadow’s ability was on a level far beyond his own, far beyond _anyone’s_ except for Heatwave’s. Nobody in the underground had seen raw talent like the Shadow’s since Heatwave, and this along with his nice car and good looks, made him quite popular on the scene. The most talked-about racer, who always pulled a large crowd of people whenever he stepped onto the scene. 

Jongho really hated that.

He also really hates that it’s been 2 _years_ since Jongho’s had the unfortunate displeasure of meeting the Shadow, and he still hasn’t managed to beat him. Their confrontations have only gotten worse since their initial meeting; the aggravating blonde _always_ had something smart to say about Jongho’s Firebird. And Jongho always fell for it, this man just knew how to push all of his buttons at once. Another irritating talent of his, once could suppose. That and his stupid smirk on his stupid face. 

He was doing it right now, actually. They just finished another race, with Shadow taking the first place, and with it the winnings. That probably bothered him the most out of all the things that bothered him about Shadow. The fact that even though he is loaded, he takes the money from his wins. Ever since Shadow showed up, Jongho hasn’t been making as much money as he used to on racing, which pissed him off because it put him behind on his plans to save up for school. So yeah, he had every right under the sun to hate the Shadow.

“That makes forty-two wins for me, doesn’t it?” Shadow asked haughtily, walking over to Jongho and his car after doing his routine fan-service. 

“Asshole.” Jongho grumbled under his breath.

“Huh, what was that?” The blonde taunted, he was now standing right in front of him. A look of disinterest crossed his face as he sighed, “You’re making this too easy for me, it’s starting to not be fun anymore. What did you say when we first met? Something about making me regret what I said?”

The brunette rolled his eyes, “Don’t you have some posse of groupies that need your attention?”

His smirk widened, “Not at the moment, but I’ll get to them later. Why, you interested?”

Jongho snorted loudly, “You wish.”

He looked around for a moment, internally cursing Wooyoung and San for leaving him here to watch their cars. 

Shadow looked down at the crimson Pontiac, lightly running his fingers across the hood. “You put a new engine block in it?”

Jongho smacked the taller’s hand away, glaring up at him pointedly, “Don’t touch my car.”

The blonde man sighed softly, “It still won’t make you beat me.”

“Gee, that’s great. I don’t remember asking.”

“You’re awfully temperamental today.”

The brunette’s glare sharpened, “Walk away, Shadow.”

He cocked his head to the side, staring down into the shorter’s eyes with a mischievous glint. “Or what?”

“Or I’ll make you.” Jongho retorted lowly.

The brunette was startled by the blonde suddenly invading his space by leaning into him, which caused Jongho to stumble backward a couple of steps, his hand on the hood of his car the only thing that kept him from falling. 

“What the hell are you doing?!” Jongho whispered-yelled.

“Didn’t you say you were going to make me walk away?” Shadow used his height to his advantage, towering over him as he lazily arched an eyebrow. “So _make me_.”

Jongho’s tongue caught in his throat for a moment, as he watched the smirk grow wider on Shadow’s. The familiar heat that activated itself in his body whenever he was around the blonde rose, and he felt his blood boil. Luckily before Jongho could do anything, two of Shadow’s friends approached them.

“Dude, the afterparty is starting soon. You ready to go?” One of them, a tall lanky kid with dark hair, small eyes, and a cute pointed nose asked as he casually slung an arm around the blonde. 

“Yeah, I want to get there before they drink up all the good drinks.” The other boy, a shorter brunette with wide eyes and handsome features added as he walked up to them. He nodded in acknowledgment to Jongho, and Jongho nodded back.

Unlike Shadow, his friends _weren’t_ assholes. They were actually pretty nice, for a couple of entitled rich kids. 

Shadow turned back to Jongho, still cocky as ever, “See you at the next race, Fury.” He turned to walk away with his friends. 

Jongho was left there, still pissed off, as Wooyoung and San suddenly came into his view. He immediately turned to them with a glare, “Thanks for leaving me by myself, how long does it take to ask Yeonghoon about the betting pool?”

San snorted, “However long it takes for you and Shadow to get your dramatic, sexually-charged tension out of the way.”

The brunette spluttered, “ _What?_ Wait, you guys left me here on _purpose_?!”

“It’s been two years Jongho, plus we saw the whole thing,” Wooyoung added with an indifferent shrug, “We’d figure it either end in a fistfight or a make-out session.”

Jongho’s eyes widened in bewilderment, the heat rushing to his face. “I-I would _never_ make out with him!” 

“Sure you won’t.” San mumbled as both of them slipped into their respective vehicles.

Jongho was still standing there speechless for another moment. “I really hate you guys.”

“We love you too, now hurry up so we can get some food!” Wooyoung yelled from the window.

* * *

Jongho accidentally slams the door on his way inside, still thinking about his run-in with his nemesis. There’s the sound of pots and pans clashing and the aroma of something savory frying in the kitchen that greets him as he kicks off his grimy combat boots and slips on his house shoes, trekking further into the house and turning towards the open kitchen. True to his guess, there was a tall brunette humming to himself happily as he sauteed whatever was in the pan. Even though there was a concerning amount of smoke billowing from the pan, the taller man remained unphased as he turned to give the shorter a warm grin. 

“Hey, Jongho! I thought that was you.”

Jongho nods, smiling back, “Hey Yunho.”

“You came back just in time, I’m almost finished with dinner.” The taller says, flipping what looked like burned vegetables in the pan a couple of times before finally (thankfully) moving it off of the burner. 

Jongho coughed subtly and waved the smoke away while the other wasn’t looking. He looked around for a moment, “Where’s Joong?”

“Late night shift, he won’t be back till after midnight.” Yunho answered, pouring the charred vegetables onto a plate, “So that’s why I’m on dinner duty tonight!” He brandishes the plate to the younger with a dazzling smile. 

The shorter tries not to make a facial expression to the plate (he’s been told his face is very readable) and just nods with a weak little smile as they make their way over to the dinner table, where all of the other food Yunho’s prepared sat waiting. It was no secret that Yunho wasn’t the _best_ cook, the job was usually suited more of Hongjoong, or hell even Jongho, but on nights like this where the elder worked later, it was left to the tallest member of their unique household.

But despite that, dinner was still fine. Jongho updated Yunho on his installations on San’s car, a pretty cool vintage Corvette Twin Turbo that was admitted into the mechanic shop, and his latest fight in his rivalry with the Shadow. Yunho always found their confrontations amusing, the brunette could never understand why. In return, Yunho would give him an account of what went down in the labs; he was an electrical engineer working for some big-wig company that was supposedly leading in scientific engineering for Korea. Jongho liked to hear stories about Yunho’s group’s latest projects because it was a pretty cool job (and also inspired some modifications for his own car). This was all part of their normal dinner routine.

Or well it _was_ until Yunho brought up something else;

“You know, they’re offering internships in the mechanical engineering division. I think you should apply.”

The shorter raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Really?”

Yunho nodded in confirmation, “Yeah, I heard one of my coworkers talk about it. Apparently the Ceo of Park Co’s son was placed in charge of that division, and he’ll be choosing interns for a four-month internship,” The taller pointed his chopsticks at Jongho, “You’re always elbow-deep in car engines anyway, I thought this could be a great opportunity for you. You can further your knowledge of mechanical engineering you know, _legally,_ and could potentially get a job out of it. I think it’s worth a shot.”

The shorter brunette stared down at his bowl of rice in contemplation. While it was true Jongho had a natural talent for mechanics, he had never thought of taking his skills any further than using it for cars and street racing. Sometimes, when he would find it hard to sleep at night, he would stare up at the ceiling of his small bedroom and wonder what it would be like. To work in a lab like Yunho; constructing and creating things. But that was just a pipe dream for Jongho, a fantasy that was tucked into a little corner of his mind, only to be thought of in secret moments by himself. As talented as he was, he had to be practical; he was just some nineteen-year-old kid who barely finished high-school and worked at a decrepit auto-shop. He didn’t have enough going for him to make any kind of impression at that big-wig company. Unlike Yunho, who had graduated from Seoul National University at the top of his class for his major. He had a lot of options, and Park Co practically _begged_ him to work for them. 

Jongho just let out a sigh, “I don’t know Yunho. . . I don’t think I could get accepted.”

The brunette scoffed with a dismissive wave, “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Plus, I already got you an interview.”

The shorter’s brown eyes widened to the size of saucers. He almost choked on his race as he spluttered, _“What?!_ H-How?”

Yunho shrugged casually, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he replied, “I gave them a glowing recommendation of course. It’s on Friday at two.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to wait until _now_ to tell me?!” That gave him just four days to sort everything out.

The taller crossed his arms, “I knew if I told you any sooner you’d try to find some way out of it. Joong knows too, plus you’re boss so you can’t try to get out of it by saying you pulled some extra shifts.”

 _Damn it,_ Jongho internally cursed, _he thought of everything._

Yunho’s eyes widened, resembling a ‘sad puppy’ as he frowned at the younger, “Why do you think you won’t get in Jongho? You’re _amazing!_ This is the perfect field for you.”

The shorter brunette sighed for a long moment, mentally weighing his options. “You really want me to go to that interview that badly, huh?”

 _“Yes,_ obviously! This is a great opportunity for you.”

If Joong also supported Yunho’s idea, then there was no way for him to win this fight. He really didn’t stand a chance anyway. So all he could do was drop his shoulders with another belated sigh;

“Okay, I’ll go.”

* * *

“So, are you really gonna do it?” San’s curious voice floated above his head as he sat on a stool.

Jongho, who was currently underneath an older Toyota model, rolled out from under the car to shoot a flat look at the ravenette. San looked casually relaxed on the stool, playing with the set of sockets laid out on the table next to the toolbox. 

“I don’t really have much of a choice,” The brunette muttered before extending his hand, “Pass me the ratchet wrench please.”

San looked over the assortment briefly with little interest, before picking up the needed socket wrench and tossing it to the shorter. Jongho caught it with an expert grip and rolled himself back under the car, tightening the bolts to finish his work on the undercarriage. The two teens heard the telltale signs of Wooyoung approaching as the door to one of the break rooms opened and closed, and the blonde happily skipped over to them. 

“Back with the drinks!” He chirped happily.

Jongho rolled out again, this time standing to his feet and dusting off the dirt on his oil-stained jumpers. He took off his gloves, wiping the sweat that beaded across his forehead from the stuffy garage before grabbing one of the sodas Wooyoung offered. He popped it open and leaned back to drink, grateful for the sweet, cool, bubbly liquid to quench his thirst.

“I want to go racing at the beach on Friday, you guys down?” Wooyoung asked, popping open his own.

Jongho shook his head as he sighed, “Can’t, remember? I have an interview that day.”

“Oh yeah,” The blonde mumbled dejectedly, before dramatically groaning as he slumped against the hood of another car, “Ugh, can’t you just skip it?”

“So I can disappoint Yunho, which in turn would make Joong track me down to kill me? I don’t think so.” The brunette retorted.

“Plus, isn’t this kind of what you need? Didn’t you say once you saved up enough money, you were going to go to community college to start your degree?” San added. 

Jongho finished his soda, crushing it before tossing it into the trashcan on the other side of the room- it went in perfectly. Wooyoung and San shortly followed.

“Yeah,” The brunette admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, “It kind of is the perfect internship for my future career.”

Wooyoung groaned again, “God, I hate it when you guys are the voice of reason. Fine, we’ll wait till Saturday. When’s the next race scheduled?”

“Friday at midnight, I think.” San answered.

The loud, grating door to the garage suddenly opened, startling the three teens as they turned to look at the man walking through the opening. Yeonghoon, the owner of the auto-shop and also Jongho’s boss, walked into the garage, taking one look at the three and shaking his head with a resigned sigh.

“You two spend an awful lot of time here for people who aren’t actually my employees.” Yeonghoon deadpanned, looking at Wooyoung and San.

“Hey, I always greet your costumers and make sure the fridge in the back is always in stock. I might as well be an employee, if anything _you_ owe _me_ compensation!” The blonde protested. 

Yeonghoon rolled his eyes in barely suppressed amusement, turning to Jongho as he inspected the Toyota, “Fix up that undercarriage?’

The brunette nodded with a proud grin, “Yep, cleaned it up like it was brand new. You can call them tomorrow and let them know it’s ready for pick up.”

Yeonghoon nodded in return, a smile of his own on his face as he clapped the shoulder of the younger’s, his own way of translating his satisfaction with Jongho’s work, before heading over to another door that marked his office. “I’ll be stuck here doing some paperwork, so you don’t have to worry about closing the shop. Hongjoong told me about your little interview tomorrow so you can’t get out of it.”

Jongho rolled his eyes playfully, “Why is everybody so convinced I’d bail? Don’t you have any faith in me?”

“Maybe I would, if I haven’t known you since you were fourteen,” Yeonghoon retorted, opening the door to his office before turning back to the three with a small, encouraging smile, “Good luck, kid. I know you can do it.”

That small source of encouragement actually made the brunette smile, a warm feeling mixing with the apprehension churning in his stomach. Maybe he had let his insecurities get the better of him and limit himself from better opportunities. Maybe everyone was right for praising his talents, maybe he could do it.

* * *

Jongho sat a little stiffly in his chair in the waiting room, accompanied by five other prospect interns, all ranging from calm and collected to barely holding it together. Everyone was dressed in clean, pressed suits and shirts, blazers and pencil skirts, looking like they’ve just stepped out of a corporate magazine. This _was_ Park Co after all, Jongho supposed you should look the part for a distinguished company. He glanced down at his own attire; his nicest button-up white shirt, a tie (borrowed from Yunho), and a park of nice slacks that Hongjoong bought him for his high school graduation. He didn’t have those fancy, sleek, shiny shoes that seemed to reflect the fluorescent lights coming from above, but he found his nicest pair of sneakers, cleaning and polishing the hell out of them the night before. He had even let (after some arguing) Yunho part and gel his hair back, exposing his forehead, which Jongho usually never saw since his shaggy brown bangs always fell to his eyebrows. It felt . . . _weird_ when he saw himself in the mirror like this. He felt like he was looking at a doppelganger from some parallel universe instead of himself.

The tapping of heels broke the brunette from his inner musing, and he turned to look at the girl sitting next to him. She was small in stature, her dyed-blonde hair was pulled into a neat, professional ponytail. She had wide brown eyes with small, but full lips, her eyes lightly dusted with make-up and her lips a little glossy. She was really pretty, but also pretty nervous from the way her fingers fumbled with her resume and her feet tapped against the ground. Jongho looked at the name tag she wore that was given out to all of them as they came in for the interview;

Jung Jinsoul.

“Sorry, was it bothering you?” A soft voice suddenly spoke up, and Jongho realized she was talking to him, “It’s a nervous habit of mine.” She chuckled softly, her expression apologetic.

“Oh no, you’re good. I understand.” The brunette replied, a small friendly smile on his lips.

She nodded, before letting out a soft sigh. “God, it’s so stressful, isn’t it? Just waiting here like this. I heard they’re only accepting three to four interns, out of the hundreds that apply here. Isn’t that insane?” 

Jongho shrugged, “I guess that’s just Park Co for you.”

Jinsoul snorted softly, an amused expression coming to her face, “You don’t seem all that worried. Got this in the bag?”

Jongho mulled over the question. He wasn’t over-flowing with confidence, but he knew that he had some decent skills. He figured if he could get a chance to get into their labs and do some _real_ tinkering, it was worth a shot. 

“A little, but I’m more curious about something.”

Jinsoul raised an eyebrow, “About what?”

“What’s so great about Park Co that people jump through hoops just to get an interview.”

“How’d you get into mechanical engineering?”

The brunette crossed his arms, his smile a little more smug, “I’ve been tinkering with cars since I was young. I guess I got pretty good at it. You?”

The blonde smirked, “Ever since I was four. Practically grew up in an auto-shop.”

“Woah, really?” Jongho’s eyes widened in awe, “That’s really cool. Family-owned?”

Jinsoul nodded, her amusement growing, “Yep. It’s my dad’s.” As they continued to talk about auto-shops and cars, Jongho noticed her heels stopped tapping against the tiled floor. Instead, she turned to him, eyes bright with eagerness as she talked about the things she loved doing as a mechanic. Jongho found himself admiring her, they both shared a lot of the same interest.

The door to the interviewer’s room suddenly opened, and everyone straightened up as a prospect walked out. He checked his list before looking up at the rest of them.

“Choi Jongho?”

“I guess that’s me.” The brunette muttered as he stood up.

“Good luck Jongho, It was nice talking to you. I’m Jinsoul, by the way.” The blonde said to him with a small wave.

Jongho nodded and waved back at her, before following the man towards the room.

The interview went pretty well, or at least Jongho thought it did. The man that interviewed him seemed to be impressed by his extensive knowledge of vehicles, even though he hasn’t gotten formal education on it yet. Jongho left Park Co feeling a lot better than he did walking in, and there was a small smile on his lips as he answered Yunho’s frantic text messages. 

The large clear glass automatically slid open as Jongho walked out of the building, now texting Hongjoong for a ride. His gaze snapped up at the sound of a powerful, vaguely familiar engine, and he looked around for the source of the noise. A black Bugatti had pulled out of the parking lot for Park Co, it’s engine whirring elegantly as the lights flashed, and Jongho’s heart squeezed in its chest. It looked like the same model of that blonde asshole’s. A small bit of irritation flared up inside him at the thought of Shadow, but even then, he still couldn’t help but gawk at the smooth, obsidian vehicle. He _was_ a grease monkey after all. The Bugatti roared as it turned into the main street before taking off, racing out of sight until all the brunette could hear was the faint sound of the engine. He turned and walked over to the nearest bench and sat down to wait.

* * *

Jongho’s fingers gripped the wheel as he smoothly made the turn, dirt kicking up behind the Firebird’s back wheels as he did. He pressed down on the gas, the engine roaring with a ferocity to match a lion as he sped up to the next corner, determined to make this next turn a drift. 

He pushed the clutch while switching the gear shift to a lower level, feeling the wheels lock in place. As he was turning he felt the back wheel lock out of place, causing the Firebird to tip a little and the brunette cursed to himself as he swerved messily out of the turn, coming to a stop a couple of feet away. With a frustrated sigh, Jongho popped open the driver’s door, stepping out to examine the back wheels.

Hongjoong tsked as he walked up to the younger, standing right beside him.

“I almost had it,” Jongho said with a huff of annoyance, “What am I doing wrong?”

“You’re not accelerating fast enough,” Hongjoong pointed out, “You slow down a little as you approach a curve, that’s stopping you from completing the full drift because you lose momentum.”

The brunette thought about the elder's advice for a moment, before nodding his head as he stood back up. 

Hongjoong patted the trunk of the Firebird affectionately, “You’ve been doing a really good job taking care of the Firebird since my retirement, I appreciate it.”

“Of course I would,” Jongho answered matter of factly as they both walked over to the driver’s and passenger’s seats. “You taught me everything I know.”

The older brunette smiled, a faraway look in his dark eyes as he ran his hand over the dashboard gingerly. Before there was Retro Fury, there was Heatwave. It was Hongjoong’s stage name on the scene, supposedly because he’d leave scorch marks on the roads after he’d raced. He was a legend, never losing a single race he participated in, gaining the respect and awe of everyone in the underground. Jongho had seen him in action a few times at races before he retired, and he could say without a doubt that Hongjoong was the best racer he’d ever met. Probably was the best racer in Seoul. . .until the Shadow showed up. 

They drove all the way back to the apartment Yunho and Hongjoong shared. Yunho greeted them both with hugs and kisses as they entered, the aroma of dinner wafting through the place. Jongho kicked off his boats, padding over to the living room when he felt his phone vibrate inside of his pocket. He pulled it out, thinking it was another message from Wooyoung or San, but his eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he realized it was from an unknown number. He opened the chat room, peering down at the message;

**_Choi Jongho,_ **

**_We want to congratulate you on your acceptance into Park Co’s mechanical engineering internship program. Here below is an attached list of more information and your schedule. We are looking forward to working with you._ **

Jongho’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it, he actually got into the internship? 

“What is it?” Hongjoong asked, peering over the console curiously.

“I. . .I actually got in,” The brunette replied, his voice still colored from his astonishment. He turned the screen so that the elder could see, and once he was finished reading, a smirk shifted into the other’s lips.

“I knew you could do it, you little brat.” The older brunette clapped a hand on Jongho’s shoulder affectionately, his smirk morphing into a proud smile, “We’re proud of you.”

The younger brunette felt his face heat up with sudden sheepishness. He knew that Hongjoong loved him and was always proud of everything he did, but it was on rare occasions that he’d verbally state it. 

“Thanks, old man.” Jongho replied with a sarcastic smirk. 

Hongjoong shot him a playful glare, “ _Har, har, har._ I’m only twenty-six.”

“You’ll always be an _old man_ to me.” The brunette said with a sweet smile.

Choose your next words wisely, or you’ll be out on the streets kid.”

Jongho chuckled mischievously as the older shot him a look, and then a betrayed one at Yunho when he joined in on the fun.

* * *

_~ a week later ~_

Jongho tugged on the tie of his shirt, making sure his attire was as nice and neat as possible as he stood in the lobby with the other three interns who were accepted. He was relieved to find out that Jinsoul was one of them, immediately striking up another conversation with her. They were walked through a tour of the building; they saw the labs, the office rooms, the cafeteria, the warehouse, and the breakrooms. The last, and probably most important place to visit on their tour would be their new boss’ office.

“Do you know anything about our boss?” Jongho asked the blonde casually, glancing around to familiarize himself with his new environment.

“Not much,” Jinsoul replied with a shrug, “Other than he’s supposed to be an ‘Ice Prince’ or something. I heard he is insanely attractive, but he keeps everyone at a distance so nobody knows much about him other than he’s the CEO’s son and is being groomed to take over.”

The brunette nodded his head in interest. “If he’s supposed to take over the whole company, why is he only working as the head of this team?”

Jinsoul scratched her chin in thought, both of them long abandoned their attention from their tour guide as he led them down the hall. “Hmm, I think it’s some kind of heir training. Let him manage a section of the company and see how well he can handle it?”

Jongho made a thoughtful noise. “Maybe.”

Their tour guide stopped at a door at the end of the hallway. He knocked on it gingerly, and they all waited with bated breath. There was a faint _“Enter”_ from the other side of the door, and the tour guide bowed before opening the door. Jongho and Jinsoul shared a look with each other before both of them faced forward. They followed the tour guide through the threshold, and into an office space that felt bigger than Jongho’s entire room. 

The first thing he noticed was the wide windows that covered an entire side of a wall, they ran from the ceiling to the floor, spilling sunlight into the office. The windows overlooked the busy city of Seoul, the people milling about on the streets below looked like ants from here, and Jongho was reminded again of how upscale and affluent this company was. The nerves he had a week ago simmered in his stomach threatened to rise up, and the brunette turned away from the window, his eyes moving across the room as he examined the rest of the office. There was a sitting area that could pass for a living room with how many couches were lined up, all-encompassing a coffee table with magazines on it. There was a big ass HD TV that hung on the wall near the seating area too. There was also a small kitchenette area in another corner, with a built-in counter and stools. _Is this an office or a freaking one-bedroom apartment?_ Finally, Jongho’s eyes made their way to the long mahogany desk that was neatly organized with documents, office utensils, and a monitor. Jongho glanced at the plaque that sat in the corner of his desk:

Park Seonghwa.

 _Holy shit,_ the brunette thought to himself, _this guy really is the heir to Park Co._

“Here are our new interns, Mr. Park.” The tour guide announced.

There were low murmurs from the other interns, and Jongho felt Jinsoul shoot him a look of satisfaction.

 _“He’s hot.”_ Was what she mouthed to him. 

The brunette immediately perked up at this, the tour guide was standing right in his line of vision, so he scooted a little to the left to see the man behind the desk. Jongho froze, blood running cold as he immediately recognized the man seated at the desk. It was the same, stupid handsome face that mocked and scorned him for the last two years. His most fiercest rival, and an all-around pain in the ass. 

This was _Shadow._

Jongho’s eyes widened in shock, missing the look of confusion Jinsoul shot him.

Shado- no _Seonghwa,_ stood up slowly, drawing in everyone’s attention in the same infuriating manner he did at every race. Instead of the trendy street style Jongho would normally see him in, he was wearing a nice, sharp black two-piece, with his blonde strands neatly gelled back. He absolutely hated the fact that he looked even better in suits.

Seonghwa gingerly tugged on his suit before straightening, fixing the interns with a perfectly-white smile as his dark gaze swept across his audience. “Hello, I am Park Seonghwa, the head of the mechanical engineering department. It is my pleasure to be acquainted with you. While you are here, I hope you will-” He abruptly cut himself off when his eyes met Jongho’s, recognition flashing in them immediately. If the brunette wasn’t so shocked, he would probably take satisfaction in the frozen shock that fell over Shadow’s face, his lips parted in a silent gasp. But as quickly as it happened, he recovered, “- learn many advantageous skills here while in the program. I look forward to working with you.”

All the interns applauded cheerfully, except for Jongho who was still staring at him like the blonde would disappear if he blinked. His brain was having a hard time processing this . . . it couldn’t be true, could it? This must be some sick, practical joke.

Because how the hell could _he_ of all people, be his new boss? Jongho internally groaned. 

Just what has he gotten himself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i hope this was a good introduction to the characters.  
> Also stan loona :)


	3. ONE SECRET, TWO LIVES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo back with another chapter after like a month 😭. Don't worry I havent forgotten about this fic for all my jonghwa enthusiasts! As always thank you very much for all of the support, hope you enjoy!

Jongho was still shocked, even as the interns were ushered out of Seonghwa's office and back into the cafeteria, apparently it was time for their lunch break. Jongho gathered his meal from the buffet line (he was so distracted that he couldn't even enjoy the fact that he gets free _buffets_ for work meals now) and sat down next to Jinsoul and the other interns who were quietly chatting about their new workplace.

More specifically, their new _boss._

"Can you believe how attractive he is?” Jinsoul said with a wistful sigh.

The brunette rolled his eyes at her, “You have a whole girlfriend.”

“Hey! I never said I would go after him, smart ass. You saw what he looked like, just let me be bisexual in peace." Jinsoul said with an exaggerated groan, making some of the other interns giggle. She turned to Jongho, nudging him softly on his forearm, "Hey, but what was with you back there? You looked like you saw a ghost."

Everyone's gaze was suddenly on him, and Jongho felt uncharacteristically shy. He was still having a hard time processing the whole thing himself, he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell other people. Well on second thought, maybe Jinsoul could give him some advice, the brunette thought. He motioned for the blonde to lean in so he could whisper in her ear.

"I know that guy; our boss."

Jinsoul raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "Really? You know Park Seonghwa?"

"I wouldn't say I _know_ know him, I've just been seeing him...for the last 2 years."

Jinsoul's eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a moment, before her eyes slowly started to widen in shock. "Oh my god, are you _dating_ him?"

The brunette nearly choked on his rice, "What- _no_?! I'm not dating him!"

The blonde's eyes narrowed inquisitively, an amused expression on her face as she tilted her head in thought, "So you're hooking up with him."

Jongho felt his face heat up involuntarily. "Hell no! I'd _never_ hook up with him!"

Jinsoul's amused expression only grew more, "Why is that?"

"Uh, because he's kind of a rude, pretentious asshole?"

"Mmm," the blonde hummed thoughtfully, "So you have a thing for him."

Jongho narrowed his eyes at her, "What part of _'rude, pretentious asshole'_ gives off the vibe that I like him? I literally hate his guts."

Jinsoul laughed, "There's a fine line between love and hate."

The brunette pointedly looked away, focusing on shoving more bulgogi into his mouth so he didn't have to comment on the girl's statement. She was starting to sound like Yunho and his friends, which he did not appreciate. Seriously, why was everyone so convinced that Jongho liked him? He's nowhere near his type. Just because he was handsome doesn't mean it made up for his horrible, irritating personality.

"How did y'all meet anyway?" Jinsoul went on to ask, still curious.

"Uh, I'll tell you later." The brunette mumbled. 

He liked Jinsoul and trusted her enough to spill the beans on the fact that he and Seonghwa were street racers, but he didn't know about the other interns. It could go very badly if someone found out about his um, one could say _illegal activities_ when he hasn't even worked a full week here yet.

Yunho wouldn't be happy about that at all.

Jinsoul nodded coolly, a secret smirk on her lips as she turned back to her food, easily engaging in conversation with the other interns. The rest of their lunch went quite smoothly, Jongho found out the names of the other two interns; one of them a young, handsome guy named Yeonjun, and an older easy-going guy named Johnny.

When their lunch break was over, they were directed back to the office with other workers in their division. Jongho was able to forget about his worries with Seonghwa when he watched one of the workers design an interesting engine prototype for a race car on fancy, designer software. He was greatly intrigued and eagerly listened to the guy who was nice enough explain his schematics for the engine. Jongho spent a lot of time learning new and exciting things, and he was suddenly extremely grateful for Yunho pushing him to apply.

One of the workers asked for water from the machine, and Jongho happily agreed to go get one. He stepped out of the office, walking down to the small room that was solely dedicated to all vending machines imaginable. He put the money in and pressed on the button for water, smiling a little to himself at the cute beeping sound that echoed as the sound of a water bottle coming down from the vending machine filled the quiet room. He was the only one in here.

Or at least, he _thought_ he was, because as soon as he turned around Jongho almost dropped the water bottle in shock as he stared up at the blonde man who had been disturbing his thoughts for the past hour. 

Jongho composed himself after a moment, glaring at Seonghwa, "What the hell? You almost gave me a heart attack, asshole!" He gave the taller a small shove to the chest because he was _way too damn close_ for his comfort.

Seonghwa gripped the arm the brunette used quickly, his dark eyes steely as he stared down at the younger, "I'd watch your mouth if I were you, after all I'm your _boss_."

Jongho snorted at that, completely ignoring the other's warning, "I shouldn't even be surprised. With how much you liked to show off at the races, it makes perfect sense that _you're_ the spoiled heir to such a big company."

Seonghwa's top lip twitched and Jongho briefly wondered if he managed to get under the taller's skin. From all the time he's known him, _he_ was the one always getting on Jongho's nerves. He was always confident and cocky, oozing arrogance in waves whenever he interacted with anybody at the races. It was definitely a stark contrast from the tense, impatient-looking blonde that was standing in front of him right now. The brunette took a lot of satisfaction out of seeing the other looking on edge for a change.

"Like I said before Mr. Choi," Seonghwa said, firmly squeezing on the arm that was in his grasp, "If you would like to keep working here, I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut. Especially on _personal_ matters."

Jongho arched an eyebrow in challenge, "Why? Afraid someone will find out about what you do when the street lights turn on?"

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "I'm serious Mr. Choi."

"Whatever," The brunette rolled his eyes as he snatched his arm out of the other's grasp, "I won't tell anyone, as long as you promise to stay as far as humanly possible away from me." He needed this internship, and he'd be damned if he let a good opportunity like this slip away from him just because he knew his boss's big bad secret.

Seonghwa took a step back, casually tugging and smoothing down his tie. He gently ran his fingers through his neatly styled hair, brushing back a few strands that fell out of place before making direct eye contact with Jongho again. Jongho quickly averted his gaze, pretending he didn't find the older brushing his hair back the tiniest bit attractive.

"Then it's a deal," The blonde said in a professional tone, he stuck his hand out between them, "I won't bother you, you won't bother me. We'll stay out of each other's way while you're here." 

Jongho scoffed, pointedly ignoring the blonde man's hand. "Sure, this also goes for when we're racing too."

Seonghwa rolled his eyes but said nothing more, his hand falling back to his side. He cleared his throat, before turning around and exiting the vending machine room. Once he was gone, Jongho felt himself let out a deep breath he didn't even realize he was holding in. He was just trying to get a rise out of the blonde when he mentioned him racing being a secret, he didn't actually think that was the case.

So, not only was his boss Park Seonghwa, heir to one of the biggest technology companies in Korea, but he also knew his biggest secret. From the gossip around the office, Seonghwa had an indifferent disposition and was a bit of a loner, but he was good at his job. He was flawless in the eyes of everyone, which was expected of him because of his position.

 _Well,_ Jongho thought as he began to make his way out of the room, _that bastard definitely has some flaws._

The more he thought about it, the more power he realized he held. Yeah he might get fired, but the consequences would be much _more_ dire for Seonghwa. It served him right, and Jongho smirked to himself at the thought. Things definitely just got a little more interesting at his new job.

* * *

“So, what was it like?” Wooyoung asked, sucking almost obscenely on a popsicle. There was the sound of someone pushing someone, and the creak of Wooyoung’s stool, along with a shout of protest from him as he was almost tipped backwards. There was a mischievous snicker and Jongho didn’t have to turn around to know that San had probably pushed him and now they were bickering.

Instead, he finished cleaning down the last of his wrenches with a rag before placing it back in its appropriate toolbox. Slinging the rag over his shoulder, he turned around with a loud sigh, his wispy brown bangs flying up before messily settling back on the front of his face. It was almost the middle of June, and even though Jongho had took off the top half of his jumper and tied it around his waist, he still felt like he was simmering in the deepest part of hell.

“When is Yeonghoon gonna fix the AC?” Wooyoung complained, “My popsicle is melting in my hands, I just opened this.” He waved around his sticky hand.

“He said the guy will come by sometime tomorrow,” _Hopefully_ the brunette added in his mind as he turned towards his friends, who had settled back into their favorite pastime when not racing, which was watching Jongho work on stools. San tossed him a popsicle which he caught easily.

“You never answered my question,” Wooyoung said, and Jongho turned to him with a questioning eyebrow, “You’re _first day,_ dude! How was it at that big fancy company?”

“Oh,” The brunette’s nose crinkled in distaste at the memory of meeting Seonghwa. He just shrugged with what he hoped was nonchalance, “It was cool, I got to meet some engineers and I learned a lot of new stuff. Also met a coworker who’s really cool so I think it’s gonna be pretty great there.”

“Already making friends? Look at you, should we be worried about replacement?” The blonde said with a teasing grin.

Jongho rolled his eyes, “San? No. You on the other hand…”

 _“Hey!”_

“Holy shit,” San suddenly announced, causing the other two teens to turn to him. He was lounging lazily on his stool scrolling through his phone, when he suddenly sat up and turned his screen towards the others with wide eyes, “The announcement for the competition was just made, look at the prize money they’re offering this year!”

Jongho and Wooyoung crowded around his phone, and both of their eyes widened at the amount.

 _“Five hundred-thousand_ dollars?!” Wooyoung gasped.

San whistled lowly with a grin, “The amount of mods I could make to my car with that amount of money.”

Jongho just blinked slowly as he processed this information. Five-hundred thousand? That could easily help him pay for school. Every year around August, there was a big competition for big-time racers in the underground. Almost like a championship of sorts, and of course it was the most anticipated race of the season. But unlike other races, you couldn’t just show up and enter. The prerequisite was at least 5 wins in order to enter, which usually wouldn’t be a problem for Jongho, if it weren’t for that damn Shadow. 

But the money was too good to pass up on, and Jongho couldn’t stand the idea of putting anymore financial pressure on Hongjoong and Yunho. They have already done so much for him, which he was super grateful for. He knew Yunho wouldn’t hesitate to help him pay for school, but Jongho knew he also needed to be more independent. This was his dream, and something he’d have to work towards with his _own_ effort.

“I’m gonna do it.” The brunette said, a new sense of determination lit inside of him.

“Seriously?” Wooyoung’s comically wide eyes turned from San’s phone to the brunette, “You know you have to win at least five races to be qualified for it right?”

“I know.” Jongho immediately pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted Yunho to let him know he would be home late tonight.

“Um...dude no offense or anything but you know that will be basically _impossible_ to do with the Shadow right?” It was San who hesitantly pointed out the elephant in the room.

The brunette scoffed, “He doesn’t show up at every race.”

“Yeah, maybe not every one. But he always seems to show up at the ones _you_ do.” Wooyoung pointed out with a frown.

Jongho began to scheme his plan out, and he couldn’t help the smirk that came to his face at the thought of what he’d do next. He was suddenly extremely grateful that he didn’t pass up on Yunho’s offer for the internship.

“Aha, I can see the wheels literally turning in your brain! What are you up to?” The blonde asked, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Jongho bit his lip, “Let’s just say, the Shadow soon won’t be a problem anymore.” He took a lot of satisfaction seeing Wooyoung and San send each other’s confusing looks before they focused their stares back on him, “When’s the next race?”

“Tomorrow night.” San answered, wariness in his tone.

“Perfect.” He flashed a bright grin, before walking over to pick up his personal things out of the lockers on the far side of the garage, not at all oblivious to the whispers of his best friends.

Wooyoung looked back at San with an alarmed expression, “He’s grinning like a maniac! You know he only does that when he’s up to no good.”

“Yeah Woo, I know.”

“What do you think he’s up to?”

“Whatever it is, we’ll find out tomorrow.”

* * *

It was still so hot and humid, even hours after the sun had slipped below the city’s horizon and brought the inky darkness of the sky, with a few small distant stars twinkling dimly in the night. The sounds of powerful engines rumbled all around him in anticipation, and Jongho wiped a thin layer of sweat that gathered on his forehead, before placing it back on the hood of his Firebird, a low thrum coming from the warm metal. Jongho could take heat, but he could _not_ stand humidity, it made him feel icky and gross. He briefly entertained the idea of asking one of the fangirls crowding around a fancy Corvette if they had a spare rubber band- his bangs were long enough anyway, Yunho was always hounding him to get a haircut..

“You think he’s gonna show up?” San asked curiously, and all of them knew who he was referring to without having to directly state his name.

“Jongho did say he wasn’t gonna be a problem anymore. What did you do to him?” Wooyoung turned to him with a suspicious expression before his eyes widened, “Did you get somebody to take him out?” The blonde gasped dramatically, “Dude, do you have ties with a mafia or something?”

The brunette snorted in amusement as he leaned against his car, “Do I _look_ like I have ties to a mafia?”

“Hmm, maybe not but Yeonghoon definitely does.”

Jongho rolled his eyes at the blonde’s antics, “He’ll be here, I know he will.”

It wasn’t like the Shadow for him to be this late- there was only ten more minutes until they had to line up for the race- but Jongho knew he would come. After all, now that the announcement for the competition is out, everyone who wants that prize money is going to want to come. This is the biggest crowd Jongho’s seen since last year. Even if Shadow wasn’t doing it for the money, there’s no way he’d miss an opportunity like this. He might be the most annoying person on earth, but Jongho knew he wasn’t stupid.

As if on cue, he heard the sounds of a familiar high-powered engine, and everyone’s attention turned to the midnight Bugatti which pulled into the lot. Fangirls started squealing loudly, leaving their previous occupants as they all crowded around a sleek automobile, which was followed by a shiny white Camaro and titian Porsche. Shadow stepped out of the car, dressed in his usual stylish clothes, with his hair falling to his eyebrows. He had dyed it again- a yellow so pale that it was almost platinum, and Jongho hated the way it made a funny feeling churn in his stomach.

Jongho purposely made eye-contact with the blonde, who had an unreadable expression in his eyes, but his full lips twitched into a subtle grimace. The brunette flashed a bright grin, and Seonghwa quickly broke eye-contact, choosing to walk over to his friends (He found out from Wooyoung that their names were Mingi and Yeosang). Jongho shook his head with a small chuckle before turning back to his own group of friends, he could already envision his plan, and was playing it out inside of his mind.

“Now that’s _definitely_ concerning,” Wooyoung mumbled, a genuine look of unease on his features, “You never smile at Shadow. Seriously, what are you planning Jongho?”

A mischievous smirk made its way to the brunette’s face as he shrugged, “The less you know, the better. Just know that it’s going to work.”

Wooyoung and San shared another look, but before they could further comment Yeonghoon came around to tell them to pull up to the starting line. He easily climbed into his crimson Pontiac, giving her a rev for good measure before joining the other rumbling cars at the start line. He purposely made sure to pull up right beside Shadow, smirking at him through his rolled down window.

“Good luck.” Jongho called to him, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Seonghwa’s glance swung to him, and they locked eyes in an intense stare for a couple of moments, before Seonghwa looked away again. There was clear annoyance in his voice as he looked forward, but still managed to spit out with full arrogance;

“I won’t need it.”

And then they sped off.

* * *

Shadow won, but there was no surprise there. Jongho parked his Firebird before hopping out of the vehicle as Wooyoung and San followed him. 

“I don’t get it,” San said with a frown, “He still won.”

A giddy feeling swelled inside the brunette as he smirked again, “That’s because I haven’t put my plan into action yet.”

Jongho waited for the right time, talking to his friends and a couple of other racers he knew, letting time pass until the crowd started to thin out as they moved on to the next exciting activity during Seoul’s nightlife. When the brunette glanced over in the direction of where he knew Shadow was, he saw that the blonde was leaning against his vehicle, talking with Mingi and Yeosang. The brunette briefly wondered if his friends knew the truth like he did. It wouldn’t make things as _fun_ if he wasn’t the only one who knew his secret, but Jongho supposed they were friends for a reason; he trusted them enough to not say anything.

That’s too bad Jongho found out, because he is the farthest thing from a friend. 

“Hey Shadow!” He called out to the blonde man.

Seonghwa’s eyes flashed briefly in surprise before he quickly schooled his expression, and if Jongho wasn’t purposefully staring him right in the eyes, he would’ve missed it. He walked over to the blonde slowly but with purpose, reminding him of the first time they had met two years ago. _Circumstances aren’t the same though,_ Jongho thought with a smirk, _this time I have the power._

“What do you want, Fury?” He spat with his usual air of arrogance, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“To talk to you.” Jongho answered easily.

Another flash of emotion. “For what?”

Jongho casually leaned against the roof of the sleek Bugatti, silently admiring the vehicle and appreciating its smooth and shiny paint job. Shadow might be a cocky asshole, but at least he knew how to take care of his car. Jongho couldn’t fault him for that.

He turned his attention from the Bugatti back to its owner, “I have a proposition for you.”

It was like a switch. His mildly nervous expression was replaced with his easy, ever-present annoying ass smirk, “What? Finally accepted the fact that I’m better than you and want to join my fanclub?”

The brunette crossed his arms, “Sorry, I have more than one braincell. Don’t think I meet the requirements to join your _groupies_.”

“You always say ‘groupies’ like it’s a bad thing,” The taller said with an amused expression, “When we all know it’s what you’re secretly curious about.”

Jongho scoffed, “About what?”

There was a challenging look in the blonde’s eyes, “How it feels to be with me, to be in my car, and well you know, other places...”

The suggestiveness was not lost on him. Heat threatened to rush to the brunette’s face, and that weird funny feeling twisted in his stomach. _He’s just baiting you,_ he had to remind himself, _don’t lose your nerve. You have the power this time._

“I have a proposition for you,” Jongho repeated, bringing them back to the point of the conversation, “And it’s one you’re not gonna want to refuse.”

Seonghwa scoffed, “Why would I ever do that?” His tone was patronizing but his dark eyes had hardened.

He looked the same way he did when he was standing in that vending machine room with Jongho, and the brunette was enjoying every moment of it. 

“You haven’t even heard it yet,” The brunette said, the ends of his lips curling into a smirk he couldn’t hold back anymore as he crossed his arms.

“...What is it?”

Jongho took several steps forward, getting into the blonde’s personal space in the same manner that he had done to him on several occasions. Jongho stood so they were eye-to-eye, even if he was a couple of inches shorter than Shadow. 

“In exchange for my silence,” He said in a low tone so the others wouldn’t hear, “You’re gonna help me win that competition.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kahajakk I hope you guys enjoyed reading! The plots finally starting to kick off 😁


	4. A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhh *chuckles nervously* sorry for taking such a long break LMAO. Now that I'm almost finished with my other story, I'll definitely have more time to work on this one. As always, I appreciate the comments/kudos/bookmarks so very much! Thank you for supporting this fic, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

_“What?”_ Was the first thing Seonghwa blurted out. He didn’t have that cocky look on his face anymore, his features were contorted into a look of pure confusion. 

Jongho’s smirk widened, “You heard me.”

The blonde man scoffed, shaking his head with a chuckle of disbelief. “You’re joking, right?”

The brunette leaned away from him, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile, “Nope, I’m serious.”

Seonghwa’s eyes widened again, his lips parted but whatever words he was going to say got stuck in his throat. A triumphant sense of delight surged through Jongho at the look on his face, and he barely held himself back from laughing at him. Before either of them could say anything else, the tall brunette- the one named Mingi- wrapped an arm around Seonghwa in a playful manner, startling the blonde out of his stupor. 

“C’mon bro, Yeosang and I wanna catch this party in Gangnam!” He said excitedly.

Seonghwa groaned a little, removing Mingi’s arm from his neck while rubbing his own, “Whose party is it?”

“Some guy that my friend was talking about,” Yeosang said, walking up towards the two, his gaze locked on his phone as he seemed to be texting someone intently, “If we leave now, we can get there before all the good liquor is gone.”

The blonde man seemed reluctant to agree, but after some more pestering from Mingi, he finally relented. Mingi cheered eagerly and Yeosang finally looked up from his phone with a smug smile of his own. Jongho did not expect the ravenette to turn his smug gaze to him. He was smiling like he knew something that Jongho didn’t.

“I already texted Wooyoung the deets, he’ll give you the address.” Was all he said, before he and Mingi dragged Seonghwa to his Bugatti.

_Wait, what?_ Jongho blinked, taken aback for a moment as he processed what the ravenette just said. He turned back to his own group of friends who were giggling amongst themselves. Wooyoung, who was sitting casually on the hood of his Mustang, slid down as he approached them.

“You finished enacting your plan? What did you say to Shadow?” He asked eagerly.

Jongho crossed his arms, “What did Yeosang mean by you giving me the address?”

“Huh? Oh, _that?_ It’s for the party,” The blonde said with a dismissive wave.

The brunette’s eyes widened, “That snobby rich kid party they were just talking about?”

“Yeah,” San nodded, “He told us about it a couple of minutes ago. It sounds fun so we want to go.”

“Plus, rich kids have better alcohol!” Wooyoung chimed.

Jongho spluttered for a moment, “You- why would he tell you that?!”

“Uh...because we’re friends?” Wooyoung said with a raised eyebrow. He spoke to Jongho as if the answer should've been obvious.

_“What?!”_ The brunette looked at the blonde as if he grew a second head.

“Yeah, I mean just because you have beef with Shadow doesn’t mean we do. Yeosang and Mingi are pretty cool.” San added with a nonchalant shrug.

“Since when did you guys get so friendly with them anyway?!”

“Oh, you know, over the 2 years we’ve known them. You probably didn’t notice because you were too busy pinning- oops, sorry I meant _fighting_ with Shadow.” Wooyoung teased, and Jongho couldn’t help the embarrassed heat that involuntarily rushed to his face.

“That’s it, I’m getting new best friends!” The brunette announced indignantly, walking over to his Firebird.

* * *

Despite Jongho making a big fuss out of it, he was eventually convinced (more like forced through emotional manipulation) by his best friends to go with them to the snobby rich kids party. It wasn’t that he was against going to parties, when it was a small crowd full of people he knew and was comfortable with, he enjoyed parties. But the idea of going all the way to a place like Gangnam, filled with nothing but entitled rich kids like Seonghwa, did not sit well with him at all. He hated the idea, actually. But as much as he didn’t like it, he had to begrudgingly admit to himself that this party was a faster way for him to carry out his plans. 

That's how he found himself in the back seat of Wooyoung’s Mustang, subjecting his ears to deafening loud music as San and Wooyoung sang along loudly to the song. If he agreed to go, he was promised a free ride, because hell would freeze over before Jongho wasted his precious Firebird’s gas for a trip like this. Even if gas was easily replaceable for someone like him. It’s all about the _principle_ of things.

They pulled up to what looked like a mini-mansion, tons of cars parked messily around the driveway and down the street. Multiple people were walking in and out of the house, some hanging out in the front yard where an enormous slip and slide had been set up, their own little boombox set up beside the mailbox to play songs. But that was almost drowned out by the heavy, reverberating bass of whatever music was playing from inside the house. 

“Ooh, this looks exciting!” The blonde was practically bouncing in his seat as he put the Mustang in park, “I knew it was a good call befriending them!”

Jongho rolled his eyes, but followed his friends out of the car and up the long driveway to the entrance. He turned to his best friends, “I already know you jerks are gonna ditch me, so I’ll do you a favor and separate now. Check in with me through text in an hour.” The brunette stated, simply reminding his friends of their rule. 

San and Wooyoung were more social than he was, which he didn’t really mind, so when they went to parties where Jongho didn’t know many people other than them, he tended to slink back to the sidelines and observe everything in curious silence. Knowing this, the three friends came up with a pretty easy guideline they tend to follow at parties; 1) break away and go have fun, 2) always check in with each other in an hour, 3) when one is ready to go, everyone leaves unless they’ve found another ride. 

Both of his friends nodded in understanding, their eyes alight with excitement at this new, extravagant environment. These rich kid house parties definitely suited their styles, Jongho couldn’t help but shake his head in amusement as they basically ran off like two kids in a candy store. Jongho hadn’t even been at the party for ten full minutes before he was offered multiple suspicious looking shots. He politely refused all of them, knowing he was going to end up as the sober-chaperone/driver for Wooyoung and San anyway. 

It was just as busy as it was outside on the inside, and the brunette felt a small sense of anxiety spark within his chest. Being in a new environment like this was unsettling and a bit overwhelming, but he managed to dampen down his thoughts when he was reminded of the reason he came here in the first place;

_Shadow._

The blonde stuck out to him in a crowd of rowdy party-goers. He was standing by the makeshift bar, pouring himself a drink while looking incredibly disinterested in everything going on around him. _Well, that makes two of us._ Jongho thought with a wry smile.

The brunette made his way over to the makeshift bar, purposely staring straight at the taller blonde until he finally made eye-contact with him. Seonghwa’s eyes flashed with a hidden emotion, but he quickly schooled his expression as Jongho came up to him. 

“This is the second time you approached me in one night,” The blonde started in a taunting tone. He cocked his head slightly as he peered down at the shorter, “I’m starting to think you really _are_ a fan, Fury.”

Jongho rolled his eyes, “Shut up, you know what I’m here for.”

“Sure,” He paused for a moment to take a contemplative sip of his drink, “But I’m failing to see why you’d think I’d agree to doing that.”

“Didn’t I already tell you? I’d expose you if you didn’t help me.”

“And what if I just fired you?” Seonghwa retorted, dark eyes alight with challenge as he stared down the shorter brunette. 

Jongho just shrugged, and in a surprisingly bold fashion, he snatched the cup out of Shadow’s hands. Leaning casually against the upholster, he tipped the plastic red cup back and took a deliberate sip. “Fire me if you want, it still doesn’t change the fact that I _know._ Plus, if I don’t work there anymore that gives me all the more incentive to tell. _”_

He eyed the blonde’s reaction, hiding his smile behind his cup as Seonghwa’s eyes darkened further. Jongho made a good point, and he _knew_ it, and that seemed to piss him off more. 

“Why do you even want me to help you? I thought I was your sworn enemy.” Seonghwa said after a few moments of silence, there was an underlying hint of frustration in his tone. He was definitely confused as to why Jongho wanted this so much.

Jongho grinned at him, “Because you’re the only one that can beat me.” It pained him a little to admit it out loud, but he managed to do it with his fake, cheshire grin, “And I want that prize money. So it’s only right the _‘best racer in the underground'_ teaches me, right?”

Seonghwa just glared at him. He wasn’t known to be this silent, it was a little unnerving. The brunette opened his mouth to say something else, but was cut off by the fact that the blonde suddenly started invading his personal space. Automatically, his legs walked backwards in an attempt to maintain distance, but he froze when he felt his lower back connect with the marble counter top of the makeshift bar. He had no choice but to stare up into the blonde’s dark, fierce eyes. He leaned down until there was only a fraction of space between them, and Jongho felt his hands clench around the counter top behind him. He knew it was an intimidation tactic, Seonghwa used it all the time when he was Shadow, he even used it on him in the office the other day. That is why the brunette never broke his gaze, he knew what he wanted, and he was determined to get it. 

“What do you really want from me?” Seonghwa asked, his voice low and serious. It seems all the banter and pretenses were finally dropped.

“I want to win that competition,” The brunette answered, equally as serious, “And in order to do that, I need you out of the way. Whether that’s because you're helping me or because I’ll expose you is up to you, really.”

Seonghwa arched an eyebrow, “What about this competition is so important that you’re willing to do all this?”

“I want the prize money.”

Seonghwa scoffed at that.

“What? It’s not like you need the money anyway,” Jongho said, growing defensive, “Unlike you, I can’t afford to be an arrogant asshole who spends his free time racing fancy cars because I have a secure position at a successful company. I actually have to _work_ to accomplish my goals.”

The blonde frowned at that, there was another moment of tensed silence before he spoke again, “So let me get this straight...you’re basically blackmailing me into helping you because you want the prize money?”

Jongho nodded firmly, before another small grin broke out on his lips, “And that’s all you need to know.” 

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, “I can’t believe you’re actually serious right now.”

“I’ll give you till Monday for an answer.” The brunette replied, before turning and moving away from the taller. He easily slipped back into the sea of party goers, deciding to go look for his best friends now that his main mission was finished.

* * *

By the time Jongho got back home, it was almost four in the morning. He quietly crept up the stairs to Hongjoong and Yunho’s quaint little apartment squeezed in between a chinese restaurant and a family-owned laundromat. As quietly as he could, the brunette twisted the keys inside the lock, waiting for the soft _‘click’_ of the locking mechanism, before gently pushing the door open. It wasn’t until he stepped fully inside, shut the door, and turned back around that he realized someone was standing in the hallway. Jongho almost jumped ten feet in the air, his heart beating fast in his chest at being startled.

It was Hongjoong. He stood with his arms crossed and a stern look on his face, but some of the seriousness was washed away by his dark blue, bunny-printed pajamas. Still, Jongho felt himself panicking. He was sure they would both be asleep by now.

“Ah, hyung what are you still doing up?” Jongho asked through a breathless chuckle.

The older brunette leaned casually against the back of the couch. Jongho realized, a little belatedly, that the TV was on but it was muted, along with a long lamp that was placed in the far corner of the living room.

“I know the race ended three hours ago, Yeonghoon told me. So, where have you been?”

Jongho sighed, he didn’t even try to deny it. “I’m nineteen, do I really still need a curfew?”

Hongjoong shook his head, “The curfew isn’t the problem. It’s that you’ve been gone for hours without letting one of us know. Yunho was so worried about you, he has to go to work early tomorrow and the only way I could convince him to go to bed was that I’d stay up and wait for you.”

The brunette swallowed nervously at that. If there was anything he knew, it was that when it came to Yunho, Hongjoong did not play around. They have been together since high school; they had met each other in what one would call a pretty unorthodox way. Back then as a young hot-headed teenager, Hongjoong tended to hang around the wrong type of crowds. And according to Yunho, he had seen Hongjoong getting cornered by some shady kids who were rumored to be in a gang. And even though Yunho didn’t have an ounce of knowledge or experience in fighting, he still ran in head-first to help him. That resulted in Hongjoong having to drag the _both_ of them away from the gang of kids. Ever since that day, Yunho never left his side, no matter how many times Hongjoong tried to shake him off. He eventually caved to Yunho’s bright personality and big brown eyes, and they’ve been disgustingly in love ever since. Hongjoong is fiercely dedicated and protective over Yunho, he would move the stars in the sky for Yunho if he asked. And if there was one quick way to piss Joong off, it would be by making Yunho upset in any way. As much as Hongjoong loved Jongho, he knew he was not exempt from getting on his bad side if he upsetted his boyfriend. 

That’s why he just bowed his head and solemnly muttered out, “I’m sorry.”

The shorter arched a stern eyebrow, “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

“Is that Jongho?” A new voice entered the conversation, and both males turned to see Yunho appearing from the hallway connected to their bedroom. His dark brown hair was a little disheveled due to sleeping on it, and he rubbed his eyes sluggishly.

“Yunho? What are you doing up, go back to bed!” Hongjoong gasped.

The taller frowned, “Well, I _was_ sleeping. But your voice woke me up,” He turned to the younger brunette, a relieved smile splitting his lips, “Jongho, you’re finally home.”

Jongho nodded, “Yeah, I’m sorry for not telling you I’d be late. San and Wooyoung wanted me to go to this party with them, and I knew they wouldn’t be able to drive back.”

Yunho nodded, always the more forgiving one out of the two, “That’s fine. Just remember to tell us next time, we were really worried about you. Especially Joong.”

_“Hey!”_ The shorter squawked in protest.

Yunho and Jongho laughed at his reaction, and despite Hongjoong’s earlier mood, he couldn’t help but crack a smile at seeing his two favorite people laugh. 

“You can yell at him tomorrow, let’s all get to bed!” Yunho said, turning off the TV before dragging his boyfriend back down the hall, “Goodnight Jongho!” He called over his shoulder.

“Goodnight hyungs.” The brunette called back, before heading towards the bathroom. He took a nice shower, washing off all the grime, dirt, and dust that came from working at a mechanic’s shop and racing in the dirt roads. 

Once he finished getting clean, he stepped out of the shower and quickly dressed himself. While brushing his teeth, he checked his notifications on his phone. There were a couple of drunken texts from Wooyoung to which he chuckled at. He also got a text from Jinsoul- they exchanged numbers the same day they found out they both got hired. Curiously, he pressed to open it;

**_Jinsoul:_ **

**_HEY_ **

**_want to come hang out at my family’s shop tomorrow at 2? We’re closed tomorrow and it’s the best time to tinker with some parts ;)))_ **

**_Hellooo???_ **

**_CHOI JONGHO 🗣🗣🗣_ **

**_He’s meditating…_ **

**_He’s died_ **🧍🏻♀️

Smiling to himself, he quickly typed out a response;

**_Sorry! Just got back home i had my notifs off_ **😭

**_And yeah i’m free 2mr_ **

**_Jinsoul:_ **

**_It’s fine_ ** 😭

**_Good GOD what are you even doing up at 4am????_ **

**_I could ask you the same thing_ **🤔

**_Jinsoul:_ **

😐 **_Touche._ **

**_Anyways great!! I’ll see you then_ **

**_Sleep well, legend ;)_ **

**_You too_ **😌

After he was done in the bathroom, the brunette made his way down the hall to his own room, immediately collapsing onto his bed once he stepped through the threshold. His gaze followed the various muscle cars and racer posters until they landed on the ceiling. As weary as he felt, he couldn’t immediately fall asleep. Jongho was left alone with his muddled thoughts, and out of all the things he was thinking about, his mind decided to settle on the tall blonde man with the intense ebony eyes. He executed his plan perfectly, and the brunette was sure there was no way he couldn’t come out on top. Finally, after all those years of putting up with Shadow’s arrogance and teasing, his endurance had come to fruition. Now, it was Jongho’s turn to have some power for a change with the blonde at his mercy.

Only serves that cocky bastard right. 

A small, spiteful smile curved the corners of his lips. But as nice as the idea of revenge on Shadow was, his thoughts didn’t stay there for long. Instead, they strayed towards his clean, neatly-cut, black two-piece suit that he wore at the office. How the suit was tailored perfectly to his broad shoulders and long legs. How it was a sharp contrast from the looser, baggier but stylish clothes he wore at the races. How the dark eyeshadow he wore under his eyes emphasized their depth and fierceness, along with his high cheekbones and-

_Wait!_

Jongho’s eyes snapped open, he didn’t even realize he closed them. _Why the hell am I thinking about him like that? I hate him!_ Quickly, he forced the thoughts away, trying to focus on something else. Nothing else seemed to come to mind, only Seonghwa’s dark eyes and deep voice simmering somewhere in a corner of his mind, threatening to take over again. He still couldn’t understand why he was suddenly all over his mind. Was it because he was a crucial part of Jongho’s plan? Was it because of revenge? Jongho wasn’t so sure.

After battling with himself for a couple of minutes, the brunette finally gave up and decided to actually catch some sleep. He didn’t need to be up until noon, but he figured it would be better to show up at Jinsoul’s place a little less sleep-deprived. It took him a couple more minutes until he drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

“Just install this last pushrod,” Jinsoul announced, her blonde locks were swept up into a high ponytail, displaying her face which was contorted in total concentration as he inserted the pushrod in, before stepping back and swinging her hands out dramatically, “And there you go! A basic-functioning engine!”

Jongho frowned a little from his spot next to her, “Don’t you still need a carburetor, fuel pump, and fuel injector though?”

She rolled her eyes, nudging the taller playfully, “Yeah duh, that’s why I said this is a _basic_ engine. I can build one of these babies from scratch, I’m still working on those other stuff though.” Jinsoul said, stroking the engine in a gentle, affectionate manner, as if it was a cat.

“Well, either way the engine’s still pretty good from it being entirely homemade. Do you make them often?”

Jinsoul nodded, “My dad taught me when I was fourteen. I remember he sat me down one day, and we took apart an old Honda's engine. We stripped it down piece by piece, and he pointed out everything. It took me like two weeks to put it back together perfectly.”

Jongho’s eyes widened in amazement, “Wow, that’s so cool. I didn’t have a clue as to what the hell I was doing until I was like, sixteen.”

They shared a laugh for a moment, before finally deciding that they’ve tinkered enough for one day. They’ve been in the shop for at least four hours, it was six-thirty. Jongho couldn’t believe how quickly time passed by; it always happens when he’s super focused on completing something. They were in the middle of putting away tools and parts, Jinsoul cleaning down the station they were working at while Jongho removed his gloves and apron, when the blonde finally decided to ask the question that had been on her mind for a while.

“So. . .about our new boss.” The brunette tensed for a split second, before forcing himself to relax as he turned around to meet her inquisitive gaze. Jinsoul had finished cleaning down the station and left the gloves and cleaning products on the counter, crossing her arms against her chest as she leaned against said counter. She raised an expectant eyebrow, “Well? You said you would tell me later when we weren’t in public. I wanna know _everything_.”

Jongho sighed, leaning against the counter as well, “If I do tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone. This could kinda get me fired if word got out.” Jinsoul’s eyes widened slightly at that, but she still nodded eagerly after a moment. Well, he certainly trusted her to keep it a secret more than he trusted someone like Wooyoung to. The brunette took another deep breath, and finally told her the truth. It was only right of course, to start from the beginning, which was two years ago. Jongho told Jinsoul everything; from their first meeting, to all of their significant interactions at various races, and everything that led up to the present. By the time he was done, Jinsoul’s mouth was hanging open so wide it made an ‘O’ shape.

“So . . .yeah, that’s what happened.” Jongho felt a little sheepish at her reaction, but he waited for her response.

“Holy shit dude! You’re a street racer? That’s so freaking cool, and our _boss_ is one too?! Woow, this feels so surreal!”

“Really?” The brunette couldn’t quite keep the surprise out of his voice at her reaction.

“Uh _hell yeah??_ This is, like, the coolest concept ever. Both of you guys are top-racers and rivals, but you’re both also super smart and incredibly attractive? And of course, the tension! Also can we get into the fact that you’re basically blackmailing him? You’ve got some balls, Jongho, honestly I’m super impressed!” She gushed, before sighing happily, “Man, I’m glad I took this internship. Things just got _a lot_ more interesting.”

Jongho rolled his eyes playfully at that, “I haven’t gotten him to completely agree with it yet. I’m giving him until tomorrow to decide.” He suddenly felt a surge of doubt roll across his mind, “Do you think he’d say yes?”

“I mean, he doesn’t really have much of a choice.” Jinsoul replied, taking down her ponytail and running her fingers through her hair idly, “When you think about it, he has a lot more to lose than you do. Reputation and public opinion matters a lot for fancy companies like Park Co. It would be very foolish of him to turn down your offer.”

Hearing her logic, Jongho felt re-assured. “Yeah, you’re right. He doesn’t have a choice.”

The blonde smirked at him, “Man, you’re more devious then I thought, Choi Jongho.”

“I’m full of surprises.”

Jinsoul chuckled at that, “That’s probably why I like you so much.”

Jongho chuckled too, a relieved smile on his face as they both pushed themselves away from the counter and towards the backdoor, “Hey, thanks for being really cool about all of this and keeping it a secret for me. Most people would jump at the opportunity to gossip.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not like most people then.” Jinsoul retorted with another teasing smirk, “But seriously though, it’s all good. I just wanna see how this whole thing plays out between you two.”

As if on cue, the brunette rolled his eyes again, “Nothing is gonna happen between us. This is just a temporary arrangement until I win that competition.”

“ _Sure_ it is.”

* * *

The following Monday, Jongho showed up to the office like normal. He greeted his colleagues, exchanged knowing looks with Jinsoul, and went about watching and helping out the engineers in the department. He had actually gone the whole morning without seeing Seonghwa, the blonde had his own office separate from the department’s, so despite him being in charge, their paths didn’t cross a lot. A part of Jongho wondered if Seonghwa was even in today, or maybe he was purposely avoiding him because he didn’t want to answer his offer. Well, that was what he thought, until lunch rolled around he left to go to the bathroom before meeting up with Jinsoul down in the cafeteria.

He walked into the bathroom, noting how nice, spacious, and clean everything was before walking over to the urinals. He hadn’t even unzipped his pants before the door was pushed open again, quick and measured footsteps trailing after him. Jongho knew before he even turned around that it was Seonghwa. Maybe it was because he’s been around him for so long, he could pick up on his footsteps. The blonde had a certain swagger to his step, Jongho couldn’t explain what it was but he knew it irritated him every time the taller did it.

The brunette looked him in the eye, noting how his hair was parted and neatly slicked down, exposing his whole face. “Finally came to me with an answer, Shadow?”

Seonghwa’s gaze was cold and stern, “Don’t call me that.” 

Jongho snorted, “What? Aren’t you the one who keeps insisting that I’m a fan?”

“We agreed that we would keep our _personal_ lives separate from our work lives.”

Jongho rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Anyway, what’s your answer?”

Seonghwa paused for another moment, he glanced around around the bathroom, as if trying to find someone listening in on their conversation. When he had assured himself that they were truly alone in the bathroom, he focused his gaze back on the shorter brunette. 

“I’ll help you win that competition.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always for reading!! i promise the next chapter won't take MONTHS to get out hsjdfkgkh

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Lemme know if you guys would like me to continue :)


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